Occupational Therapy, Entry-Level Professional (OTD)

Program Overview

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Entry-Level Professional program prepares individuals who have a bachelor’s degree in another discipline to become occupational therapists at the clinical doctoral level.

The 106-credit-hour program is based on active learning, integrating hands-on experiences with classroom learning to help students synthesize knowledge and put it into practice. The program uses an evidence-based and sequenced curriculum that enables students to successfully achieve the competencies required for entry-level practice as an occupational therapy direct care provider, consultant, educator, manager, leader, researcher or advocate.

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates are eligible to take the licensing exam to be able to practice as occupational therapists in the United States.

ßÙßÇÂþ»­â€™s entry-level OTD degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the  (ACOTE) of the  (AOTA), 7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 510E, Bethesda Md., 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is 301-652-AOTA and its web address is . The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the  (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Degrees Offered

  • OTD in Occupational Therapy

Internships, Research Opportunities and More

Students in the OTD Entry-Level Professional program will complete supervised fieldwork experiences as part of the curriculum and for professional preparation. These experiences offering additional opportunities for growth, learning to apply knowledge, developing and testing clinical skills, and for validating and consolidating functions that comprise professional competence. Students must complete a doctoral capstone project as a condition of graduation. This is an individualized project that includes a capstone proposal suitable for professional dissemination about the findings from the student’s scholarly work, relating theory to practice and demonstrating synthesis of advanced knowledge.

After You Graduate

Occupational therapists are healthcare professionals who work with people to build or restore their abilities to perform the daily tasks of life. Occupational therapists use occupation and meaningful activities with specific goals to help people of all ages prevent, lessen or adapt to disabilities. Occupational therapists often work in clinical practice, community outreach, education, research, private practice and more. Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 14% by 2031, with approximately 10,000 new openings for occupational therapists anticipated each year for the next decade.

Admission Requirements

Funding/Scholarships

There are many funding and scholarship opportunities at ßÙßÇÂþ»­. We encourage prospective students to review available program-specific scholarships and awards, and visit the program's website for additional information.

For more information, visit the Occupational Therapy, Entry-Level Professional website.